BP 1202 – Guiding Principles
The Board’s guiding principles for the college are these:
- The college will serve the total community.
- The college will provide educational opportunity for all, regardless of social or economic class or status, level of aspiration or previous performance.
- The college shall adhere strictly to the “open door” policy included in Oregon Revised Statute (ORS) 341.009.
- Maintain our focus on our institutional goals, including student access and success, and economic, workforce and community development.
- Serve as “voices for the community” to the college.
- Monitor and evaluate progress on college and board leadership goals.
Each student will be accepted as a unique individual, and it will be the responsibility of each staff member to focus on the worth and dignity of the student.
Emphasis will be on learning as an individual process best accomplished through active involvement in a setting of reality. Learning is an outgrowth of meaningful experience for each student and not the mere rote acquisition of a specific body of knowledge. The college will be characterized by its flexibility in meeting student needs. Every student will be encouraged to look upon learning as a lifelong pattern and assisted to build the learning habits and motivation required. Learning is considered a continuous process rather than isolated series of incidents occurring only in formal situations.
College programs will combine work experience in various areas so that each will contribute to and support student efforts to reach individual goals. Integration of program content will be so managed as to prevent any artificial barriers between “academic” and “vocational” areas of study and experience. Achievement is recognized as a function of individual growth and performance. Student success will be emphasized, achieved by preserving an environment where each individual will have maximum freedom of choice. Each student will be afforded an opportunity to profit from education to the student’s fullest capabilities.
The college is committed to continuous planning, development and evaluation. It will seek and expect constant re-examination as a natural process for making appropriate modifications in every phase of its activities.
The college will seek change with a purpose, encouraging innovation and supporting creativity and imagination applied toward college objectives.
The college will function in an open climate with opportunities for students, faculty and staff to provide input in policy making.
The college will be continually aware that change is constant in our society and that these changes will make a significant impact on educational planning of the college.
(December 2003)
(November 2012)